High Stakes
by Islandgurl9
Summary: Trowa meets up with the love of his life. Problem? She's an assassin after his head and absolutely despises him. But when her mission fails, their loved ones are kidnapped and held for high stakes... Yay! It's all pau! (finsihed!) Please r/r!
1. Rules of the Assassin

~High Stakes~  
  
Chapter 1: Rules of the Assassin  
  
Disclaimer: Um, I don't own any of the character (dude, I wish I owned Trowa!) And so please don't sue me if you don't like it. Just don't copy my story plot and stuff okay? Thanks. Enjoy the story!  
  
I walked down the halls elegantly though I felt like running and just getting this over with. The navy blue business suit I was wearing hugged my skin tightly making it difficult to walk. I didn't even want to sit down. It'd probably ride up my ass. The wig on my head rubbed against the side of my face, irritating the skin tempting me to throw it off and scratch like crazy.  
  
But instead I kept my composure and continued down the carpeted halls. I stopped before the silver doors of the elevator, looking at myself in its reflection. I adjusted the thin rimmed glasses on my face and waited as the numbers on the top illuminated as the elevator passed each floor. A figure stopped at my side. In the reflection I could see it was a handsome young man, around 17 years of age. Two years older than me. He had dark brown hair that hung in front of his face unusually and captivating green eyes. He was quite tall and had a slim figure. I recognized him immediately as the Gundam pilot of Gundam 03 Heavyarms, code named Trowa Barton.  
  
He turned to me and smiled. I looked the other way and pretended to not have seen it, trying to stop my beating heart. I kicked myself in my head, pissed that I was getting carried away by him. He obviously didn't recognize me, that was good. Then a ding sounded and the doors opened. We stepped into the elevator along with some other people. As the elevator rode up I looked at each of the faces of the passengers in the compartment. A balding man, young woman with a whining baby, mid aged man dressed immaculately in a pressed business suit, and the Gundam pilot. None of them were what I was searching for. Finally the doors opened on the floor I wanted.  
  
I stepped out. A group of people passed by quickly, then stopped at a crowd. Then I saw him. My target. I touched a small button on the rim of my glasses causing an image of my victim to come up on the lenses. It matched perfectly with the man surrounded by the crowd. At last, time for some action. I quickly walked down the halls to the women's room. I slipped into the stall and set to transforming.  
  
I took off the glasses and colored contacts so that they wouldn't know my true eye color. Then I opened the briefcase I had brought. I changed out of the business suit into a crisp military uniform. I seemed to shrink as I stepped out of the elevated high heels into the military boots, lacing them up. I continued by stripping off the skin adhesive that caused my skin to look a different color and removing the wig. I then pulled my hair back into a tight ponytail and braided it into three braids. Then I took out a small eye dropped bottle and inserted the chemicals into my eyes that washed out the substance that caused my eyes to look bigger than usual. And finally I took off the fake beauty spots and markings. I closed my briefcase and set the lock to the right dials to self-detonate then stepped out as a completely new person.  
  
I glanced at my watch and saw I was a little ahead of schedule. I went to the fourth floor and entered the unguarded janitor closet and took out the hidden pistol and fake ID and slipped it into the wallet I had prepared and holstered the gun. Then I made my way back to the elevator. The doors opened on the floor I wanted and I stepped out.  
  
I ran up the stairs to the top of the building as fast as I could. The wind was blowing fiercely and the snow was falling heavily. This was going to be a tough shot. I opened the broken heating vent and brought out the hidden rifle I had stashed there before. I ran to the edge of the roof, quickly assembling it. I looked over at the crowd around the man. Finally, I was ready. Inserting the clip I cocked the gun and set it against the edge, looking down over the top. I peered through the periscope, fixing his head between the cross hairs. But then a bodyguard got in the line of fire.  
  
"Shit." I swore. I waited patiently, wiping melting snow from the lenses. Finally, I had a perfect shot. I tensed my finger on the trigger, when suddenly a voice called out.  
  
"Hey!" I let the bullet go, but the shout had attracted attention. The bullet ripped through the right eye of my target and out the back of his skull. People shouted in fright, but I ignored them, spinning around and aiming at the person who had nearly ruined my mission. I was met with the face of the Gundam pilot.  
  
"Freeze Mr.Barton, I wouldn't want to kill the man who's trying to live a normal life." I said. He stood still, staring at me instead of the gun.  
  
"Tatsu!? Wh, what are you doing here!?" he exclaimed, recognizing me without my disguise.  
  
"You know damn right what Trowa. I'm an assassin."  
  
"Why are you doing this?" he asked.  
  
"Because there are people who aren't ready to let the wars go. I'm one of them."  
  
"But how can you want war!? The times have changed! The people are pressing for total pacifism! How could you not want peace!?" I smirked.  
  
"Boy you're more misguided than when I first met you. At least then you still had on your stone mask." then I narrowed my eyes. "Peace is an illusion. A lie. An impossible dream. Times may have changed, but people never will. As long as there are people there are wars." He shook his head in shock.  
  
"How can someone as young as you be so negative? So full of hate?"  
  
"Oh you act like life is so great! I know your past! I know you were known as no-name! How can you stand there and tell me life is so great!?" I snapped. He looked at me blankly.  
  
"How... do you know about my life?" he asked. I let an irritated sigh release.  
  
"Because you're the one who ruined mine." I snapped. He looked confused.  
  
"But... you're the one who left." he said.  
  
"You ruined my life you idiot! I hate you! I hate everybody! This whole damn fucking world sucks! Stupid, brainless, spineless, humans! Fools! You're all fools talking nonsense about true peace, yet you go around killing others!" I screamed, absolutely infuriated at this man's stupidity.  
  
"I... never meant to hurt you...." he began. I closed my eyes in fury.  
  
"Shut up! I don't want your fucking sympathy you idiot!" He gazed at me, hurt reflected in his dark green eyes.  
  
"Please; let me help you."  
  
"I don't want any help from you! I don't need anyone's help!" Suddenly, he lunged forward, for my gun. I quickly dodged his attack and let a kick go for his head, but he caught my foot in his hand. I dropped to the ground and swung my leg behind his knocking him to the ground. I threw the rifle away. It would be useless at close range. But that second that it took to throw it, gave me away. He jumped on top of me and pressed me to the ground.  
  
"Go ahead. Kill me. End it already." I whispered, looking straight into his eyes.  
  
"Why? Why would I want to do that?"  
  
"Don't act like your innocent and giving! You've killed tons of people! Why stop now!?"  
  
"The war's over... there is no need to fight." I brought my knee up, smashing into his chest and shoving him off of me. I stood and picked up my rifle.  
  
"Fools like you deserve to die... especially after what you did to me... but I'm a fool too. I'm human as well. You have a family.... but cross my path again, I'll kill you. No hesitation." I swore, and left him clutching his stomach in the snow.  
  
~*~  
  
Trowa lay in the snow, long after the girl had left. Staring up at the darkened sky as the snow pelted his face, melted and ran down his cheeks like tears. The tears that he could never shed. He had racked his brain, trying to remember when he had attacked her fleet. He tried to feel sorry for killing the. But why should he? They were enemy. They deserved to die.... Why then, can't I forget her? he thought in frustration, remembering her long black hair, smooth tanned skin, dark brown almond shaped eyes. She had dyed her hair brown now. He tried to get her out of his head, but couldn't. That flame of hatred in her eyes, burning a hole into his heart... how could he forget? But there was something else.... a feeling inside. He shook his head at the silly thought that had occurred to him. Love? He nearly laughed out loud. Yeah right.  
  
But then the silly smile escaped from his face. Maybe.... but that had been a long time ago. Did he still love her? But how? She was the one who had left him. And how the hell could he be in love with a girl who absolutely despised him? Wanted him dead? Who he had killed her family? How could she even love him??? He thought back to his past. That blond headed sorrowful face. The tear stricken one of Midii Une. He knew she had liked him, and maybe he had too, but how could he love the girl who betrayed him and killed his only family? This is how that girl, Tatsu, now looked at him. He sighed. Whatever had happened to Midii? Oh yeah, that newspaper article. She had been killed in a colony attack. He sighed. That was when he had met Tatsu. He really knew how to pick the women in his life.  
  
~*~  
  
Trowa remembered that day clearly. November 29 AC 194 - Europe. The rain had begun to pour. But he stayed outside in the pouring rain, staring at the article. The obituaries, with Middi Une printed in it. The water ran down his face, hair, clothes, soaking him to the bone.  
  
"Hey, idiot! Get inside before you catch a cold!" a voice snapped. He turned to see a girl, small in height, but he could tell she was spirited. She was Asian, black hair, almond shaped eyes that burned holes into him. She was wearing an OZ uniform, holding a gun in front of her at him. She was definitely a skilled soldier. He immediately felt attracted to her beauty, and didn't say anything.  
  
"Do you speak English or what? Get inside!" she ordered. He shook his head.  
  
"Um, no, I'll be on my way." he said. She shook her head.  
  
"Just 'cause you're a Gundam pilot doesn't mean you get special privileges! The curfew is for all people to be inside of the houses by seven. And guess what? It's seven." she said. But he hadn't fully listened to her. He stared at her in shock. Then lunged for her. Caught off guard, he had her on the ground but she let two swift punches go straight to his head, knocking him off of her and numbing his senses.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" she demanded, aiming the gun at him. He glared up at her.  
  
"How do you know about the Gundams?" he whispered. She smirked.  
  
"Oh, that's what's biting your ass. Easy. You're not the only top- secret agency around. I may be a soldier of OZ, but that doesn't mean I serve them only."  
  
"You're a double agent?"  
  
"Not really. I am loyal to death to OZ, once I serve someone, I serve them until they exist no more. It just happens that I have some side jobs."  
  
"Such as?"  
  
"I'm an assassin, and when you work in the black market, you tend to pick up information here and there." she said nonchalantly. He stared at her doubtfully, but said nothing.  
  
"What's your name?" he asked. She shrugged.  
  
"I don't have one." she said. He smiled inwardly. She sounded like him. No name, probably no past, non hesitant to killing. An assassin. A skilled soldier.  
  
"Well, what are you called on the black market?"  
  
"Shikakunin - Tatsu Himesama. The Dragon Princess. My code name is Tatsu Yuy." she introduced.  
  
"Trowa Barton." he replied. She gave a half smirk, half smile.  
  
"I know."  
  
That had been three years ago... those had been the good days. But they were both insecure, afraid to give their hearts to each other. Afraid to show their love.... to even love at all. They had been trained to think of love as a weakness. So she left. And the next year, AC 195 the war began. By accident, he had attacked her fleet. And demolished all of them, except for her. After that she absolutely hated him. She thought he had stabbed her in the back on purpose. He had killed her fleet, the only family she had. And she convinced herself to never ever love again because of what he had did. And he had been devastated, but had never seen her again; until now. And now he realized that she had never left his heart for an instant. Or mind. Somewhere in the back she had always been there... The Dragon Princess as she was known on the black market. But he knew her as Tatsu Yuy, the girl he knew he could never stop loving. No matter how much she hated him.  
  
~*~  
  
I stalked down the streets in rage. I wanted to just beat the crap out of myself, but I couldn't until I got paid. The mission had been a success, on a part. But Mission:Trowa had been a failure. A disaster. Because I couldn't get him out of my head. I strolled down an abandoned street and began punching the street lamp, ignoring the agonizing pain searing through my hands and knuckles like a fire. I continued to punch it, cold attacking my bare knuckles, numbing it. Then the skin began to split and blood began to ooze out of my knuckles as I continued to pound the metal in absolute rage. Soon the blood was running down the back of my hands. Finally I stopped and slumped to the foot of the pole in misery.  
  
"Never, never, never, fall in love." I whispered. "He killed your family. You can't love him" I sighed and held my head in my hands miserably. Suddenly, I heard some shouting. I looked up and saw a young woman, around twenty-something struggling with a group of armed men. I narrowed my eyes. Humans were fools. Their emotions were useless and stupid. Unfortunately, I had them too.  
  
With a sigh I stood and ran over to the woman and her attackers. I let forth three strong kicks, knocking three of them senseless, stabbed another, and was threw the knife at the last standing. But, as I threw the knife, his gun shot off. I dodged it, but it knicked my side.  
  
"Look out!" the woman shouted. But before I could turn a force pounded into the side of my neck. I crumpled to the ground on impact, blotches of color blurring my sight. I looked up and saw my attacked standing over me. I tripped him, sent two hard punches into his chest and snapped his neck. But then everything was spinning, and I could only see grainy lines like on a broken TV, before I fell to the snow senseless.  
  
~*~  
  
Trowa stared at the unconscious girl before him. What a weird coincidence she had saved his sister, Catherine. When Cathy had brought her back to the camp he had nearly fainted in amazement. She had been unconscious for about five hours now. They had dressed her bullet wound but weren't sure if there had been any mental damage done to her from the impact.  
  
He reached out and touched her face gently. Her brown bangs hung at the side of her face and he brushed them away. Her tanned skin contrasted with her khaki pants that stopped above her ankles revealing a tattoo of a dragon on her right ankle. Her white long sleeved shirt with green shirt like jacket over it brought out her light brown hair that she had dyed. He sighed quietly. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed her until now.  
  
Suddenly her eyes fluttered open. Those beautiful dark brown eyes registered hostility towards him. With a cry she lashed out hitting him. He took it, for he had been expecting it. Though he had forgotten how hard she could hit. His cheek throbbed and it hurt him knowing she hated him so much. He wanted to just hold her in his arms, but she would probably kill him if he did. He took a step back, though he knew she was too weak to really attack him. She lay back on the pillows, sweat spreading across her brow as she took in deep breaths.  
  
But he saw the hostility seem to flicker, as she looked hard at him. He felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe she still did love him... but the flickering stopped and was replaced with the flame of hatred once more.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here? Where the hell am I?" she finally asked, looking away.  
  
"You saved my sister. We're very grateful. She brought you back here, and we took care of you." There was a long silence before she spoke again.  
  
"Why didn't you just kill me? I mean, you already tried that."  
  
"I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't know that was your troop Tatsu. You have to believe me." he pleaded. She cast him a piercing glare.  
  
"Why!? Why the fuck should I even believe you!?" she demanded.  
  
"Because I think I'm in love with you Tatsu!" he screamed uncontrollably. She stared at him with wide eyes, taking in his last words. He took in deep breaths to contain his emotions. Then she narrowed her eyes and looked the other way.  
  
"Put your stone mask back on Mr.Barton." she whispered.  
  
~*~  
  
"Mission Accepted." I said, the hung up the phone. I let out a small sigh. Now I could eliminate the single obstacle that blocked my life, clouded my mind and broke my heart. Not to mention, get paid for it too. I walked out of the tents, but he saw me.  
  
"Tatsu! Wait!" he called. I gritted my teeth, but then realized. This was perfect. I allowed him to catch up.  
  
"Let me walk with you." he asked. I said nothing and continued on. He walked by my side in silence. I walked to an abandoned warehouse.  
  
"What's here?" he asked, stepping in after me.  
  
"Death." I replied, turning to him. He looked at me confused. I glanced at my watch and felt like laughing insanely. Boy was I a fool. A fool in love....  
  
"Trowa; I need you to do me a favor." I said.  
  
"Yeah, sure." he said.  
  
"Kill me." I ordered, tossing him an armed pistol.  
  
"What!? I can't let you die. You know that." he replied firmly.  
  
"You idiot! You have to! Or else you'll die!" she screamed. He was confused, and couldn't take having her mad at him. Not now, not then, not ever. He rushed forward and clutched her in his arms, embracing her small body to his. She didn't resist at first, for she was in shock, but then she recovered and sent two hefty blows into his stomach, but he refused to let go of her again, still holding tight to her. She clutched his shoulders tightly, trying to push him off, but he just wouldn't let her. He brought his mouth to her ear.  
  
"I love you Tatsu." he whispered, tears forming in his eyes. With an enraged cry she sent an unexpected powerful blow just below his collarbone, knocking the air out of him and sending him staggering backwards. She clenched her fists tightly on the sides of her, glaring at him.  
  
"Don't even try laying that crap on me Trowa Barton." she menaced. He felt hurt even more, emotionally as he took in deep breaths tying to regain himself. What was wrong with him? Why was he showing so much emotion towards this girl who hated him so much?  
  
"Damn you... damn you Trowa." she whispered, closing her eyes.  
  
"Don't you understand!?" she cried, staring at him with grief- stricken eyes. "I didn't kill you for the same reason!" He stared at her, lost, confused. Only feeling the love he had for her.  
  
"What are you talking about!?" he asked.  
  
"I was sent to kill you Trowa! I didn't okay!? Because I'm a fool! A stupid, stupid fool. And now they're going to kill me for failing...." she whispered. He stared at her in complete shock. Now he understood....  
  
"You..... you love me?" he asked quietly. She looked up at him with sad eyes, but before she answered her cell phone went off. She reached and took it out of her pocket.  
  
"Yeah?" she answered.  
  
"Foolish bitch. You have failed your mission. Now both you and the boy shall suffer." a raspy voice hissed over the phone.  
  
"Mommy?" a strained, young voice squeaked over speaker. The cell phone slipped out of her trembling fingers and fell to the hard floor shattering to pieces.  
  
End of Chapter 1...  
  
Note: If you want me to continue, please review! 


	2. Killer Ambitions

Chapter 2: Killer Ambitions  
  
"Tatsu? What's wrong?" Trowa asked, stepping towards the shocked girl. She nearly flew backwards from his touch, hiding in the shadows.  
  
"Tatsu, what is it? What happened?" he asked, continuing to approach her. She held out her hands as if to stop him with some invisible force. But then she dropped to the floor, clutching her head in her hands.  
  
"I'm a fool.... I should've killed him... how could I???" she cried. Trowa rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. This time she did not resist his touch.  
  
"What happened Tatsu?" he questioned. She continued to mutter to herself when suddenly she looked up shocked. As if she had just realized something. She sprung to her feet.  
  
"We must get back to your camp Trowa. Now!" she ordered, running out of the warehouse. He had no choice but to follow her. They ran all the way back to the camp. The ringmaster was devastated.  
  
"Trowa! Catherine's been kidnapped!" he reported. They both stopped in their tracks. Trowa spun on Tatsu.  
  
"Tatsu! What happened!?" he demanded.  
  
~*~  
  
I stared into Trowa's now insane eyes. He was desperate. But so was I.  
  
"They've kidnapped our loved ones...." I whispered in realization.  
  
"What? Who did they take from you?" he inquired. I felt like screaming my head off, but I contained my composure and put on a cool face.  
  
"They took your sister...." I couldn't bring myself to say it.  
  
"Who? Who did they take from you Tatsu?" he asked again, grabbing me by the shoulders, looking into my eyes. I looked at him, and realized he was just as desperate as me to get Cathy back as much as I wanted to get Alec back...  
  
"They took my son Trowa." I explained. He dropped his hands from my shoulder and looked at me in shock. I nearly laughed.  
  
"No, not my real son. I found him two years ago after his parents were murdered and he was left to die. He was only four.... His name is Alec. They've taken him and will probably kill him for not killing you." I whispered, remembering his chubby cheeks, sparkling hazel eyes set into his innocent face. I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. If they touched him in any way.....  
  
"Tatsu. We'll find them." Trowa said, interrupting my threatening thoughts. I shrugged his hand off of my shoulder and stood. Ashamed that I had expressed so much emotion. Especially to him...  
  
"You fought for Cathy, you live for. I do the same for Alec. He's my life... if he dies, I die."  
  
"He won't. I promise." Trowa swore. I looked at him. I could tell he was trying to put on his stone mask once again, to mask his emotions. But for once, I didn't want him to. I reached out and touched his face. He looked at me in shock that I had touched him without physically hurting him. I quickly withdrew my hand, embarrassed at myself. What the hell was wrong with me!? But he grabbed my hand and smiled. I hadn't seen him smile for..... uh, ever. Yet I understood... we were having a conversation without words. I withdrew my hand from his grasp and let a smile slip. It was times like this that wiped away my regrets of not killing him for the money.  
  
"Trowa! You must see this! Hurry!" the ringmaster cried from a trailer. Trowa and I ran to the trailer and saw everybody gathered around a small computer where there was an image of a masked man talking.  
  
"These two have killed hundreds, maybe thousands of innocent lives! Now, we, the Otterran Clan are avenging those innocent victims. We have their loved ones, it is their turn to taste the death and hatred of their acts." he said. Then the screen changed and was filled with the image of Alec, blindfolded and shackled to a wall, beside him was Catherine.  
  
"Alec!" I screamed, reaching out for the screen. Trowa held me back as the camera panned their faces. Bruises were on their faces, tears stained Alec's once rosy cheeks.  
  
"Fuck." I swore, holding back my tears. How could they hurt him so? Trowa's grip on me tightened as they showed Catherine being harassed by other masked men.  
  
"Cowards....." he whispered.  
  
"Do not think of us as bloodthirsty killers, for those are the ones we are trying to punish. They can be freed though, for a price. I think they know what it is..." the voice continued. Dried blood stained Alec's shirt and I could take it no more. I jerked out of Trowa's grasp and stormed out of the trailer.  
  
"Tatsu! Where do you think you're going!?" he called. I ignored him and continued on. Too bad Trowa had destroyed his Gundam. It would have been a fine weapon to have now. I ran to an abandoned car that had the keys in the ignition. I jumped inside and revved up the engine.  
  
"Tatsu! Wait!" Trowa cried. I sighed and waited. He ran around the other side and hopped in.  
  
"I'm coming too." he said determinedly. I said nothing and drove on. I drove to lake and stopped. Hopping out of the car I ran to a hidden shack and opened it. Inside were all of my weapons. I began pulling guns off the racks and loading them. Trowa appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Holy shit. This could supply an army." he muttered, stepping in and looking around at the vast array of weaponry. I continued to ignore him and primed the guns. Suddenly Trowa bent down to where I was sitting and grabbed my wrist. I looked up at him irritated, about to snap at him, but he stared at me with determined, kind eyes.  
  
"Don't ignore me Tatsu. I know it's not your nature to work with anybody else; but I love you. And I need you to help save Catherine, and you need me to save Alec. We need to work together whether you want to or not." he said, his face inches from mine. I stared at him for a moment.  
  
"I know." I said standing up and continuing to grab guns off the shelves. He sat for a moment. He said nothing and began to grab guns like a robot. I grabbed a vest off of the wall and inserted pistols, extra magazines and grenades into the slots provided. Finally I lifted up some floorboards and took out a case. I opened the case and brought out my best sniper rifle. I quickly assembled it like I had all my life and loaded it. Finally we were ready.  
  
"They said we had to pay a price for them. But we don't even know it." he said, as we got into the car.  
  
"I do." I stated, beginning to drive down the street.  
  
"What? Can we afford it?" he asked. I gave him a no ways glance. "How much is it?" he continued to question.  
  
"9,999,999,999 dollars." I reported. He nearly choked.  
  
"What!? How do you know this!?" he exclaimed. I turned for a moment and faced his gaze dead on.  
  
"Because that's how much they offered for your head." I explained, then turned back to the road. Trowa sat in shocked silence for a while. Then he suddenly leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.  
  
"Thank you. For not killing me. Even for nearly ten billion dollars." he said. I gripped the wheel, completely taken aback that he had kissed me. We said nothing more for the rest of the trip. Finally I pulled up at the outskirts of a factory building.  
  
"They're here." I said, getting out of the car.  
  
"Let's go." Trowa ordered. We set out on a suicide mission to save the only people we fought and lived for.  
  
~*~  
  
Alec shivered in the cold, dank area. The cloth of the blindfold bit into the sides of his face, causing his head to pulse. He was scared. Scared to death. The only thing he wanted was to be able to see her again. His guardian angel, which he called mom. She had rescued him when he was alone, she had always been there. So where was she now?  
  
"It's going to be okay." the feminine voice of the other captor, Catherine whispered assuredly to him. But he could hear the fear in her voice. The emotion he had conquered whenever he was with his angel. She had protected him from all the evils of the Earth, but now she wasn't here, and the emotion became a reality once again.  
  
"I'm scared..." he whispered into the dark, his voice echoing.  
  
"Don't be. They'll be here." she whispered. But somehow, he knew it'd be too late.  
  
"They're here!" a muffled voice called from behind the metal walls of their prison. Alec heard Catherine breathe a sigh of relief, but he knew it wasn't good. The sound of the door opening echoed throughout the room, and Alec could sense light coming in. He cringed at the sound of heavy footsteps coming his way. He expected the blows to come any minute like they always had. But instead, he felt somebody working at his shackles.  
  
"Mommy?" he whispered hopefully.  
  
"Shut up you stupid brat!" a gruff voice snapped, punching him across the face. Alec's head snapped around and blood flew from his mouth. He felt like crying, but tried to be strong like her.... but couldn't. The tears just came and wouldn't stop. The chains suddenly fell from his ankles and wrists, but strong hands grasped him and yanked him roughly. He heard Catherine not far behind.  
  
"What are you going to do to us?" she asked fearfully.  
  
"What else?" a sneering voice asked coldly. There was a sound of a gun being cocked.  
  
"Oh God, oh please! No!" Catherine cried. "Not to the boy!" she shouted. But they shut her up with a quick kick. Alec burst into more tears and began to sob, going limp.  
  
"You little punk! Stand up straight!" his captor shouted, jerking him off his feet by his ankles, but Alec had lost all hope.  
  
"No! No!" Catherine screamed as gunshots could be heard. They were dragged down a hallway and the out into the cold.  
  
"Get down!" the man commanded, shoving Alec and Catherine into the snow. Catherine groped around and found Alec. She grasped him and pulled him close to her, shielding him with her body, continuing to sob with him.  
  
"Cowards..." he heard one of them say. The sound of the other gun being cocked was heard and Alec lay in Catherine's grip, awaiting the final shot. But he was violently yanked from her hold and dragged farther away.  
  
"No! Don't take him!" she shouted. Their blindfolds were removed and the seemingly blinding light attacked his eyes and made him wince. He saw he was in an open courtyard, filled with scrap metal and snow. A fence outlining it with a single large, bare tree standing in a corner.  
  
The cold attacked Alec's tear stained face with force and the snow continued to fall. He looked and saw Catherine on the floor, sobbing and clutching her side where she had been kicked. Her captor got a grip of her flaming hair and heaved her to her knees with a jerk. A hand grabbed Alec by the back of his shirt and he choked as he was yanked up and set on his feet as well in execution style. He felt the cold of the metal gun touching the nape of his neck, tingling his hair and sending goose bumps down his back. He shivered and closed his eyes, sobbing. He didn't want to die. Not like this, not now.  
  
Both he and Catherine knelt, sobbing in the snow. Then a gunshot rang throughout the courtyard making Alec jump, thinking he was dead. But he opened his eyes and heard shouts from behind him. He saw Catherine's attacker lying in the snow, a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead.  
  
"Shit!" his captor swore and pulled the trigger. Two shots were fire at once, both found their marks. Alec's captor fell to the ground lifeless, but a smashing blow pounded into Alec from behind. He fell forward into the snow. A scream let out. He felt himself be rolled over onto his back. He found it difficult to move, difficult to breathe. He reached for his chest where he felt cold. He was met with the warm feeling of liquid. He closed his eyes, letting tears drip from them. He had been shot. Right in his chest, close too his heart. Daring to, he slipped his fingers into the hole, feeling the warmth of the fresh blood soak into his fingers. He tried to breathe, but his breaths came up short. Catherine stood over him, crying and looking at him hopelessly. Suddenly another figure approached him.  
  
"Mommy?" Alec managed to whisper, registering the face of his beloved angel, before all became night.  
  
~*~  
  
"ALEC!" I screamed, as my son's eyes clouded over, and he no longer breathed. I stared at him in disbelief. I couldn't believe he was dead. It was impossible. I felt like grabbing and shaking him, to bring him back.  
  
"You were all he ever talked about." a voice said next to me. I looked and saw Catherine's tear stained face looking at me with watery eyes. I wanted to cry, but couldn't. But then a red little dot appeared on Catherine's forehead.  
  
"Look out!" I shouted, leaning forward and pushing her out of the way as the shot from the sniper's rifle was fired. A pain ripped through my chest, I could feel bone shatter as the bullet lodged itself into my chest just below my collarbone. I fell to the snow, resting my head on it's cold surface. But I didn't panic. It was a peaceful pain. My breaths were ragged, but I just wanted it to end here... A shout sounded and an explosion occurred. Then Trowa's face appeared above me.  
  
"Tatsu!" he cried, lifting me into his arms. Pain pierced through my body at the movement, but it pained me more to see his hurt face.  
  
"I.... I want to die Trowa. They killed him.... I have nothing to live for anymore." I whispered painfully.  
  
"No. You see, you can't." he said quietly, close to tears. I had never seen him like this. "You can't die Tatsu.... because you're the reason I live. If you die, I'll die." For the first time in my life tears sprung to my eyes as I was overcome with emotions for this man.  
  
"Trowa.... I love you." I cried, fixing my eyes on him so that he'd be the last thing I ever saw. I just had to let him know how much he meant to me before I died.  
  
"I love you, I'm so sorry.... I love you, I love you, I love you.." I cried. Tears appeared in his eyes as well as he held me close.  
  
"I know Tatsu.... I know." he whispered, his tears spilling onto me. "So live..."  
  
~*~ 


	3. Unclear

~High Stakes~  
  
Chapter 3: Unclear  
  
2 Years Later....  
  
Life's never a fairy tale, there's no happy Disney ending, no happily ever after. I sighed, sitting perched on a park bench watching my eight- year old son Alec run around the open grass field.  
  
After the kidnapping, we found out he was not dead. He was in a coma for a year. When he finally awoke, we thought it was the end of the nightmare and the beginning of a dream... but instead, the nightmare only continued.  
  
Alec had suffered severe brain damage during the attack. I had hoped the memory of the kidnapping had been erased, instead, that was all that remained. Even the best psychiatrists couldn't help him. He had severe phobias of guns, chains, the dark, being alone, small places. Everything seemed to scare him. And there was nothing I could do but stand by and watch him suffer every waking moment.  
  
His once beautiful, youthful eyes were now ones of a scared deer about to be hit by an oncoming truck. Only when he exhausted himself to sleep, did peace seem to be about him. But then he would wake in the middle of the night crying and yelling his head off as he dreamt of the terrifying memories.  
  
Trowa walked over to me after tossing a baseball to Alec. But Alec screamed and began to cry. He wouldn't even let us be five yards away from him. He ran to me and hugged me tightly, clinging to me for dear life, tears streaming down his cheeks and onto my clothes. I stroked his light brown hair gently.  
  
"Shhh, it's okay Alec, I'm right here.." I assured. But he continued to sob.  
  
"Look Alec, Mr.Ribalso's here!" Trowa said, trying to sound excited. Alec lifted his head from my garments at his approaching tutor. He smeared his tears from his face with the back of his hand and brightened.  
  
"Good boy, have fun." I said kissing him on the cheek and sending him off.  
  
I let a sigh escape from my lips, exhausted, fed up with this lifestyle. How much longer would I have to watch him suffer? What kind of life was this? I just wanted to give up. But a hand on my shoulder kept me going. I looked up into the solemn face of Trowa. He looked down at me and offered a smile.  
  
"One day, the world will be a place where our children can grow without fear." he said. I smiled and looked back to my son identifying pictures on flash cards.  
  
Maybe that day will come... but for now, I'll live my life protecting my son from those demons of the world, and dream of true peace...  
  
THE END  
  
Note: PLEASE REVIEW! Tell me how you liked it! Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it! Also, I'm thinking of continuing this story as a mini-series. Tell me if you'd want that. Thanks! 


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